Pipe-cleaning apparatus.



W. J. MGKAY- PIPE CLEANING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 151111.29, 1912.

Patented July 29, 1913.

flilain M ,1 g: 511% WILLIAM J'. MOKAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PIPE-CLEANING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July so, rare.

Application filed March 29, 1912'.- Serial No. 687,07

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WlLLIAMJ. MCKAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Cleaning Apparatus, of

which the following is a full, clear, and ex act description.

My invention relates to apparatus for removing scale, grease, silica, surface carbon, etc., from metal pipe, and particularly pipe intended to be coated with-insulating materials to make it useful for electrical conduit purposes, or to prepare it for galvanizing or other metallic coating.

The principal object of' my invention is to clean such piping within afraction of the ti'meheretofore required, and to dispense with a large part of the manual labor heretofore considerednecessary, and todo this thoroughly and satisfactorily. This I ac-' complish by the means hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1' is a longitudinal section through the tank embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is' atransverse section thereof, taken on dotted line 2--2,

1%Iy invention is hereinafter described in connection with the first of a series of tanks used in a process of'cleansin'g pipe, which is partly filled with a weak solution of sulfuric or other acid and water, and into which the pipes are first introduced so as to'remove the grease, silica and surface carbon. From this tank the pipes are placed in a second tank containing a solution of lye or other alkali and water to neutralize the acid, and from thence are placed in a tank of hot water. to wash off the lye. At theoutstart, therefore,

' it will be understood that my improvements could be used in connect-ion with the'other tanks of this process, or, in fact, with a tank employed for similar purposes in other processes.

The tank to which particular reference is had may have a wooden interior lined withsheet lead orsome other material that will be unaffected by acids, and has exterior cement .walls incasing the wooden interior,

.At suitable points between its encl walls the tank has a pair of large hook-shaped arms A, pivoted in suitable bearings'on the upper edge of one longitudinal wall. These hooks curve down under the pipes inthe tank, and when the pipes are cleaned are moved upward by any suitable means to lift the pipes out of the tank and dump the same into the next tank (not shown). Hooks of this character have heretofore been used for similar purposes so the above brief reference thereto is deemed sufficient.

Near. each end of the tank, it is provided with a pair of concaved pulleys, a, a, which I-prefer to journal between lugs Z2,'secured to and arising from plates fastened tothe bot-tom of the tank in any suitable manner. Each pair of these pulleys supports a comparatively large annulus B, whose flattened outer circumference rests on the periphery of said pulleys between the flanges that form their concaved circumferences. These anuuli each have a segment, C, thereof, that 1s removable, and I prefer to make the length of this segment correspond'to about one quarter of the annulus, and to hinge one end thereof to the adjacent end of the body of the annulus, and to fasten the op osite end thereof to the opposite end of said body by any suitable means that will permit its release therefrom whenever desired. In the drawings, these means are shown to consist of-companion lugs, c, 0', one of which projects laterally from the end of the body of the annulus, and the other from the end of the segment in such direction, that, when the segment is closed, they lap past each other and can be fastened together by a bolt and nut, b. a

Each annulus has an annular-gear D, secured to or made integral with one side thereof, which gears are concentric to the axes of the annuli and are engaged by the pinions. d, d, that are securely mounted on a stud-shaft E, journaled in the end walls of the tank. The outer ends of the studshafts at each end of the tank extend through their bearings, and are provided,

with sprocket-wheels or pulleys 2, that enable the en'ds'of the stud-shaft projecting beyond the same side of the tank to be connected together by chains or belts 3, in the conventional manner, and the stud: shafts their inner extremities curved or inclined corresponding speed, 2

in thedirection =of-rotat-ion of the an'nuli. I I

The: a'xes'ofthe 'annuli tline and the relative. position of hooks, 5, thereof correspond so -that when s aidfllannuli are 'rota-ted at a 'lengths of piping. placed Within said? 'annuli with their ends supported thereby will-be maintainedjima horizontal position as the annuli rotate.

When it is desired to load the annuli with the'desired number of lengths of pipe, segment 0, is unfastened-at one end and swung upward, and the pipe introduced within the inner circumferences bf fthe annuli, in such p'osition'fithat their ends rest therein,

and-then the segment i's' clos'ed down in the position shown in the drawings, and locked.- The" annuli 'are then simultaneously rotated and-the pipes will 'be moved through and raised out' of thesolution'in the tank to a point a-t 'or near theplane of stud-shafts E, whereupon they will 'rollofli" of s'aid hooks andintoicontact; with the} piping in" the lower part of the annuli, and into the soh1= tion" and will be caught by the; "lowermost hooks of the annuli'andp'assed through and raised fout" of the solution, (and; again dropped, and so on, again and again during theop'e'r'ation of the machine. This action thoroughly washes the exterior of the pipe and 'the jarring which the pipes I'GCGIVGE when dropping upon one I another assists in detaching 'andremoving the f scale, silica, etc,*"t'rom -"the'interiorf'fl 5 At-one or'both" "nds' ofthe-tank, I. provide a, series of. steam or air-jets F, the dis- I charge ends of whicharein a plane a few inches above the plane of the lowest segmentso-f the annuli. The steam-pipes that supply these jets pass-through the end-walls 'of the tank and the steam or airdischarged therefrom forces tl'iesolutionthrough the bores of thepipef fromone'bnd to' t-lie'other and softens mwcakens the scale, the grease,

silica. and surfacecarbon therein, so 'that I the concussions and vibrationsto which the pipes are subjected during-the rotation of the annuli will dislodge and remove the same so that it can 'bewashed' out by the steam .or air impregnated current or solution. At the discharge end of the pipes adjacent the end of the tank opposite the steam-jets, the solution will enter the mouths} of pipes G, which; latter describe a detour down under and around to the oppos ite end ot the tank and discharge thro gh the end-walls below the steam-jets, ,ag dthusinsure a constant circulation of the solut-ion. Any other means for accomplislr i ngthisresult can, however, be employed. V Then the pipes being cleaned are dropped tlie "rebound "thereof may-have a tendency 't dmove the same longitudinally. To preventthis longitudinal movement fromdisplacing the ends of the pipe frmnwithin thecircumferences of thelannuli, l haveprd vided aprons H, which latter consist ,of metal plates suspended by suitable rockshatts g, Whose ends .are journaled inbealtin'gs" g, secured to the upperedges ofthe side-walls of the tank near the. ends thereof. T-heseiaprons depend from-shaft 9, between the stud-shafts E, to a point just below the surface of the solutionand above the steam: jets, and they are maintainedin their-per,- pendicular positions, preferably, by leafspr'ings h,one end-of which latter arese; cured to the end-walls of the tank andithe 3 other end of which bear against the lower =shown. When the pipes move longitudinally and strike against. these aprons,- the lat'ter will have a tendency to push the pipe back into proper position, and at-the same time yield sufficiently to prevent damaging thesam'ea Y It is possible that changes may be made in the parts of my invention as hereinbefore :described in order to adapt the same for changedconditions that may affect the structure without changing. the functions lengths of pipe are to be cleaned, an additional annulus (not shown) could be, used midway between the ann'uli hereinbefore .described, and support the middle portio-n of said-pipe. In this event, the intermediate annulus would be constructed exact-lylike annuli B, but would have nogearattached there '0, and would be driven by the. operation jot the pipe. All such changes I desire to be considered as contemplated within the scope of my invention.

\Vhat I claimas new'is: I

1. An apparatus ofthe kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alini-ng rotatable annular members which are at: ranged within said tank and have suitable projeclions on their inner circumferences, I and means for rotating. said annular mem- 2. An 'a 'iparatus ofthe kind specified comprising a -'i ank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular-=members which are arranged within saidt'ank, and have suitable projections on their inner circumferences, and movable segments therefor, and means for rotating said annular members.

portion of the apron, substantially. as

/ of the same. For instance, where very long.

3. An apparatusof the kind specified comprising a tank, a pluralityof axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of equidistant arms projecting inward from the inner circumferences thereof, and means for bers and of their segments, and means for here ences of said members rotating said annular members.

5.1 An appara-tusof the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members arranged within said tank, movable segments therefor hinged at one end to one end of the body of said members, and removably fastened to the opposite end of said body, a series of arms projecting inward from the inner circumferand their segments, and means for rotating'said annular mem- 6. An apparatus of the kind-specified comprising a tank, a pluralityof axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences of said members, ,means for forcibly expelling a gaseous element longitudinally int-o said tank from one end, and means for rotating said annular members.

7. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of'axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences thereof, means for rotating said annular members,

- and aprons interposed between said memv comprising a tank,

here and the ends of said tank.

8. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences thereof, means for rotating said annular members, and pendent aprons interposed between said members and the ends of said tank. 7

9. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences thereof, means for rotating said annular members, and pendent spring returnable aprons interposed between said members and the ends of said tank. 7

10. An apparatus of the kind specified a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences members and the ends of said tank, and

means forforcibly expelling a gaseous ele mentlongitudinally into said tank from one end below said aprons.

11. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences of said members, means for rotating said annular members, means for forcibly expelling a gaseous element longitudinally into said tank from one end, and devices for conducting the solution insaid tank from the end thereof opposite said means back to the end of the tank adjacent the same. i

12. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, a series of projections on the inner circumferences of said members, means for rotating said annular members, means for forcibly expelling a gaseous elementlongitudinally into said tank from one end, and pipes conveying the solution in said tank from the end thereof opposite said means back'to the end of the tank adjacent the same.

13. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, removable segments for the same, a series of projections on the inner circumferences of said members, means for rotating said annular members, and means for forcibly expelling a gaseous element longitudinally into said tank from one end.

14:. An apparatus of the kind specified comprlslng a tank,

a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, and removable segments therefor, a series of'projections on the inner circumferences thereof, means for rotating said annular members, and aprons interposed between said members and the ends of said tank.

15. An apparatus of the.kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members which are arranged within said tank, and removable segments therefor, a series of projections on the inner circumferences thereof, means for rotating said annular members, aprons interposed between said members and the ends of said tank, and means for forcibly expelling a gaseous element longitudinally into said tank from one end thereof below said aprons.

16. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alining rotatable annular members, which are arranged within said tank, and remov- &

able segments therefor, a series of projections on the inner circumferences of sai members, means for rotating said annular members, means for forcibly expelling a gaseous element longitudinally into said tank from one endthereof, and devices for conducting the solution in said tank from the end thereof opposite said means back to the end of the tank adjacent the same.

17. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of axially alinlng rotatable annular members which are arranged Within said tank, a series of suitable projections on their inner circumferences, concentric annular gears secured alongside of and connected to said annular members, and means that engage and rotate the same.

18. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a lurality of rotatable annular members whidii are arranged with in said tank, concentric annular gears -secured alongside of and connected to said annular members, removable segments for saidmembers, corresponding gear segments made integral therewith and engaging said gears, and means for actuating said gears.

19. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank, a plurality of revolving members having a series of projections wherebyjthe lengths of pipe bein cleansed are lifted in said tank to a suita le height and then dropped, and means for rotating said members. I

20. An apparatus of the kind specified comprising a tank,.a plurality of rotating members a portion of which are'adapted' to be immersed in the solutionin'saidtank, and which are provided with projecting arms, which latter lift the pipe deposited in said tank out of said solution and then drop the same back again, and means for rotating said members. In witness whereof I have hereunto set' my hand this 27th day of March 1912.

I WILLIAM J. MoKAY. Witnesses:

FRANK D. 'THoMAsoN, E. K; LUNDY. 

